Brisbane have shoved the North Melbourne blueprint for AFL success down the Kangaroos’ throats with a 75-point mauling within the Adelaide Hills.
Star Lions midfielder Lachie Neale, key forwards Joe Daniher and Eric Hipwood and goalsneak Charlie Cameron all ran amuck on Saturday afternoon at Mt Barker within the 22.20 (152) to 12.5 (77) cakewalk.
It is Brisbane’s highest rating since spherical three final season, when additionally they thrashed North, and the primary time this yr they’ve loved consecutive wins.
For North, it was a brutal reminder of the extent of what’s wanted as they rebuild beneath Alastair Clarkson.
The Kangaroos had been stable this season with two wins and two hard-fought losses, however Gather Round introduced an unravelling of their sport.
“I said to the players after the game, where Brisbane are now is where we want to be,” Clarkson stated.
“Where they were four or five years ago is where we are now.”
Adding to a grim afternoon, North co-captain Jy Simpkin was subbed out at halftime with a suspected damaged hand.
“It doesn’t look good for us,” Clarkson stated.
For Brisbane coach Chris Fagan, the large win was an extra step ahead after a nasty round-one loss to Port Adelaide and a few constructing of type since.
“It does a lot for confidence and the best teams are the most connected teams. Our boys are a really close group and they played that way today, which was exciting to watch,” he stated.
“It is only early days, but good signs.”
Neale racked up 37 disposals, whereas Daniher kicked 5 targets – together with a second-term bomb from contained in the centre sq..
Hipwood kicked 4 targets and Cameron additionally contributed 4 after halftime.
For Cameron, his wonderful sport got here after every week the place he was amongst a number of AFL gamers who suffered on-line racism.
North began effectively sufficient, main by three targets within the first time period, however scores have been degree on the first change and the Lions had the sport beneath management with a 23-point lead at halftime.
Then they reduce free, kicking seven targets to 2 within the third time period.
Clarkson was left rueing Brisbane’s potential to intercept their handballs and power turnovers by way of the midfield.
“It was probably, all day, the ease with which they got goals out the back,” he stated.
“It ends up just breaking your spirit a little bit, at different stages.”
The large rating gave the Lions a much-needed share enhance and shocked Fagan, given the windy situations.
Fagan and Clarkson heaped reward on the bottom, which was a paddock solely a few years in the past.
It was one other success in Gather Round, with the sellout crowd of 7329 having fun with the nation footy environment.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
